State Executive Committee Unanimously Adopts Resolution Supporting Local Control of Education

Charleston, W.Va.-- At the summer meeting of the West Virginia Republican State Executive Committee, a Resolution was passed against the implementation of a "one size fits all" federal education standard known as Common Core Standards. The Resolution closely mirrors what was passed unanimously by the Republican National Committee.

Following a thorough presentation by Angie Summers with the West Virginians Against Common Core, Senator Donna Boley (R-Pleasants) proposed the Resolution.

"We oppose Common Core because it nationalizes our education system, removes local control of our schools and allows the release of private student data to the federal government," said Senator Boley. "I am very appreciative that Chairman Lucas invited our group, West Virginians Against Common Core, to present to the committee at our annual meeting. Angie Summers, who presented our reasoning to the Committee did a great job and the Resolution to oppose Common Core was passed unanimously," added Boley.

"Common Core is a heavy handed overreach by the Federal Government in the era of big data and government intrusion in individual's privacy," said Conrad Lucas, Chairman of the West Virginia Republican Party. Lucas, who holds a master's and doctorate in education policy from Harvard and Vanderbilt respectively added, "A federal takeover of education was never intended by the founders and should be left up to those in states and communities who know our children best."

The full text of the Resolution is below:

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RESOLUTION CONCERNING COMMON CORE EDUCATION STANDARDS

WHEREAS, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a set of academic standards, promoted and supported by two private membership organizations, the National Governor's Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) as a method for conforming American students to uniform ("one size fits all") achievement goals to make them more competitive in a global marketplace, (1.) and

WHEREAS, the NGA and the CCSSO, received tens of millions of dollars from private third parties to advocate for and develop the CCSS strategy, subsequently created the CCSS through a process that was not subject to any freedom of information acts or other sunshine laws, and never piloted the CCSS, and

WHEREAS, even though Federal Law prohibits the federalizing of curriculum (2.), the Obama Administration accepted the CCSS plan and used 2009 Stimulus Bill money to reward the states that were most committed to the president's CCSS agenda; but, they failed to give states, their legislatures and their citizens time to evaluate the CCSS before having to commit to them, and

WHEREAS, the NGA and CCSSO in concert with the same corporations developing the CCSS 'assessments' have created new textbooks, digital media and other teaching materials aligned to the standards which must be purchased and adopted by local school districts in order that students may effectively compete on CCSS 'assessments', and

WHEREAS, the CCSS program includes federally funded testing and the collection and sharing of massive amounts of personal student and teacher data, and

WHEREAS, the CCSS effectively removes educational choice and competition since all schools and all districts must use Common Core 'assessments' based on the Common Core standards to allow all students to advance in the school system and to advance to higher education pursuits; therefore be it

RESOLVED, the West Virginia Republican Party, as stated in the 2012 Republican Party Platform, "do not believe in a one size fits all approach to education and support providing broad education choices to parents and children at the State and local level," (p35)(3.), which is best based on a free market approach to education for students to achieve individual excellence; and, be it further

RESOLVED, the West Virginia Republican Party recognizes the CCSS for what it is- an inappropriate overreach to standardize and control the education of our children so they will conform to a preconceived "normal," and, be it further

RESOLVED, That the West Virginia Republican Party rejects the collection of personal student data for any non-educational purpose without the prior written consent of an adult student or a child student's parent and that it rejects the sharing of such personal data, without the prior written consent of an adult student or a child student's parent, with any person or entity other than schools or education agencies within the state, and be it finally

RESOLVED, the West Virginia Republican Party specifically states the need to repeal the numerous federal regulations which interfere with State and local control of public schools, (p36) (3.); and therefore, the West Virginia Republican Party rejects this CCSS plan which creates and fits the country with a nationwide straitjacket on academic freedom and achievement.

RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the Governor of West Virginia and all members of the West Virginia State Legislature.